THE WATER SHREW 
As its name implies, the Water Shrew favours the neighbourhood of 
streams, where it is usually found about the margins of the quieter and 
more sluggish waters, or seen swimming in their clear pools. It is not 
however afraid of rapid waters, for I have seen it in quite a swift run- 
ning stream in Norway, as it swam with its body silvered with air bubbles 
just under the surface. 
The following account of its habits has been given by J. F. M. 
Dovaston in Loudon's Mag., Nat. Hist. ii. 2ig : "It dived and swam 
with great agility and freedom, repeatedly gliding from the bank under 
water, and disappearing under the mass of leaves at the bottom, doubt- 
less in search of its insect food. It very shortly returned and entered 
the bank, occasionally putting its long sharp nose out of the water, and 
paddling close to the edge. This it repeated at frequent intervals from 
place to place, seldom going more than two yards from the side, and 
always returning in about half a minute. Sometimes it would run a little 
on the surface, and sometimes timidly and hastily come ashore, but with 
the greatest caution, and instantly plunge in again." 
The prey of the Water Shrew is very various, consisting of aquatic 
insects and their larvas, worms, molluscs, frogs and small fishes, while 
sometimes the flesh of dead mammals is eaten. 
The young, which are said to vary in number from five to eight, are 
provided with a nest of moss and herbage, placed under the surface of 
the ground. 
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